Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler has conceded that Carlos Baleba might have been affected by transfer interest from Manchester United. United’s approach for the 21-year-old was described as strong but evaporated after about a week, when Old Trafford accepted Brighton’s asking price of over £100 million was beyond reach in a window that featured substantial spending elsewhere. Reports say United will look again in 2026.

Since that interest surfaced, Baleba has faced extra scrutiny amid a slow start to the season. A knee injury has required the Cameroon international to play catch-up with his fitness, and there have been suggestions his focus has been unsettled by the attention from United. Baleba has also been named as the dream target of United manager Ruben Amorim. United have been linked to a number of alternatives, with many reports identifying Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace as a player admired inside Old Trafford.

Hürzeler, who withdrew Baleba midway through the weekend’s 2–2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, emphasised the midfielder’s age and the need for support from the club. “Everyone has to understand with Carlos, he’s a very young player,” Hürzeler said after withdrawing Baleba midway through the weekend’s 2–2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur . “He needs help from us.

“We can only guess [whether United’s interest has affected him]. For sure, when a young boy reads that there’s interest from Manchester United with a big, big offer, it might affect him deep.

“Even if he’s not saying, ‘It affects me,’ maybe deep inside of him, there is something that affects him.

“It’s even part of the development, to understand when you play well and a big club comes, to keep pushing, and to stay humble, to stay at Brighton and make the next step as a team. And that’s something we have to keep on working with him, and so, therefore, I can’t give you a clear answer if it’s really affected him or not.”

United’s recent financial reports, which included record revenue, have encouraged hopes that a major midfield signing could follow. Scouts are working to establish whether Baleba will return to the top of the list when the January window opens.

Gameweek 5 arrives with little respite for clubs and a compact schedule that could reshape early-season narratives. Several clear storylines emerge, from late finishes and goal droughts to managerial pressure and assertions of title intent.

Liverpool’s habit of scoring decisive late goals has become a defining trait this term. All five of their matches in all competitions have featured decisive strikes from the 83rd minute onwards, and the Reds’ recent fixtures suggest another Merseyside derby at Goodison Park could again produce late drama. James Tarkowski’s 98th-minute equaliser last season and past late efforts by Gary McAllister, Sadio Mané and Divock Origi underline the fixture’s capacity for last-gasp moments.

Wolverhampton Wanderers remain the only Premier League side without a point and face newly-promoted Leeds United at Molineux in a match the Old Gold will view as a must-win. Jørgen Strand Larsen is expected to miss out again, leaving Wolves with the problem of replacing his goalscoring output, though home advantage offers hope of a first league point.

Tottenham Hotspur have started well under Thomas Frank, following three wins from four in the Premier League with an important Champions League victory over Villarreal. Their trip to Brighton will test Tottenham’s top-four credentials; last season Spurs lost both meetings with the Seagulls and have suffered four defeats in seven meetings.

Alejandro Garnacho is still being eased into life at Chelsea and is likely to feature in Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United, the club he left over the summer for £40 million. Garnacho “will be desperate to silence his former followers” if given the chance, though a hostile reception is expected at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim, the United head coach, will be focused on a response after a subdued display against Manchester City and remains under pressure following a recent defeat to Chelsea.

Aston Villa head to Sunderland still searching for a Premier League goal after two goalless draws and two defeats. Harvey Elliott scored in the Carabao Cup midweek, but Villa must end their league drought. Finally, Arsenal host Manchester City, a fixture that carries title implications after Arsenal’s earlier criticism for a negative approach at Anfield and Dominik Szoboszlai’s fine free kick that punished them in Gameweek 3.

The opening month of the 2025–26 Premier League season concluded with the official release of the August Player and Manager of the Month nominees. The shortlist reflects a mix of attacking returns, defensive leadership and encouraging starts for newly aligned teams.

Riccardo Calafiori has been Arsenal’s starting left back so far this season. That freedom to get involved further up the field produced one goal and two assists across three games in August, with two clean sheets adding to a strong month for the Italian.

Liverpool supply two names. Hugo Ekitiké had two goals and an assist in his first three Premier League games, while Dominik Szoboszlai claimed headlines with a free-kick winner against Arsenal before the international break.

Jack Grealish returned to these shortlists after joining Everton on loan from Manchester City. Four assists in three games have underlined his early impact following his transfer, which was described in earlier reporting as a £100 million ($134.3 million) move to the Etihad.

Marc Guéhi navigated transfer uncertainty to produce a series of solid displays for Crystal Palace, overseeing two away clean sheets at Aston Villa and Chelsea and scoring a long-range goal against Villa.

Erling Haaland, who won this award in August 2024, registered three goals in as many games for Manchester City, finding the net against Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

João Pedro matched Grealish for direct goal contributions across August, scoring twice against Fulham and West Ham United and adding two assists in the latter fixture while leading Chelsea’s midfield in the absence of the injured Cole Palmer.

Antoine Semenyo, who made allegations of racist abuse against a Liverpool fan in Bournemouth’s opening game, responded on the pitch with two goals against Liverpool and an assist against Wolves.

Sunderland began life back in the Premier League strongly under Régis Le Bris, who has two wins from three games. Wilson Isidor grabbed attention with two goals off the bench.

On the managerial side, Chelsea remain unbeaten under Enzo Maresca after recovering from a stuttering home draw with Crystal Palace to beat West Ham and Fulham. David Moyes has overseen Everton’s resurgence, with Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye central to two wins in three. Arne Slot’s Liverpool sit top with the only remaining perfect record, claiming wins over Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Arsenal prior to the arrival of Alexander Isak.